2023-08-03 15:19:16
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Here is the inequality of the words of the head of Beninese diplomacy on RFI
“Niger pipeline not affected by sanctions”, Benin authorities say
“We are not in the case of a coup d’etat, but of a hostage-taking”. It is in these terms that the Minister of Foreign Affairs Olushegun Bakari spoke on RFI this Thursday, August 3, 2023 about the military coup against the power of Bazoum. Indeed, ECOWAS at the end of its last extraordinary summit on Sunday July 30, 2023 in Abudja, condemned this act of the military and decided to intervene militarily within a week, if the ousted president is not restored. . On this subject, Minister Olushegun Bakari explained that before using force, ECOWAS first wants to exhaust peaceful means. According to him, ECOWAS is determined to restore constitutional order and Benin is ready to involve its army when ECOWAS decides on a military intervention to restore Niger’s institutions. The RFI guest also made it clear that he personally would not have wanted us to resort to force to bring constitutional order to Niger, even if he noted that this could be necessary. “An ultimatum is given and before that all peaceful possibilities will be used,” he said.
It should be noted that a few days after the official communiqué of the decisions of this ECOWAS summit, the military in power in Mali and Burkina-Faso reaffirmed their support for the CNSP soldiers, who overthrew the power of Bazoum and warn ECOWAS for its military intervention. Furthermore, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, commander of the presidential guard who brought down the Bazoum regime, has declared that he will not give in to pressure to restore him to power.
Full interview with Minister Olushegun Adjadi Bakari on the situation in Niger
Coup d’etat in Niger: “It is a hostage-taking and a kidnapping”, considers the head of diplomacy of Benin
In Niger, the ECOWAS ultimatum ends in three days. On Sunday July 30, the sub-regional organization called for the immediate release of Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum and the return to constitutional order within a week, failing which it says it is ready to take all necessary measures, including including the use of force. Three days from the end of the ultimatum, where are the discussions? How could ECOWAS intervene militarily? Olushegun Adjadi Bakari, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Benin, answers questions from Pierre Firtion.
RFI: Olushegun Adjadi Bakari, an ECOWAS delegation, led by the former Nigerian president, Abdulsalami Abubakar, was to go on August 2, 2023 to Niamey. Was it last-ditch mediation?
Olushegun Adjadi Bakari : JI think that this still corresponds to the vision carried by the Heads of State of ECOWAS which consists in leaving the door open and favoring dialogue. So last-chance mediation… until the last minute, there is an ultimatum that has been given, and as long as we are not at the end of this ultimatum, all the ways allowing to have an exit, solutions that are acceptable will be used.
We know that the former president, Mahamadou Issoufou, is also conducting negotiations behind the scenes. What is offered to the putschists today?
There is a message that has been very clearly conveyed by the Heads of State, which is to say: we are not in a case of a coup d’etat, and I think that on this, we must be all agree. This is a hostage-taking, a kidnapping. And when we are faced with a hostage-taking or a kidnapping, we are not in a negotiation of proposals. The primary objective is to be able to free the hostage, and for the hostage to return to a normal life. So, in this case, the objective is to ensure that President Bazoum, president democratically elected by the people of Niger, resumes his functions as President of Niger.
Do you still have hope for a peaceful end to the crisis without violence?
We hope so, but in any case, democratic values, the values of preservation, political stability and democratic transition, must prevail within the ECOWAS space. This is the message that the Heads of State conveyed and I think it is very important to stick to it.
If the military refuses to hand over power by August 6, what can happen?
The Heads of State, in the communiqué of the Conference of Heads of State, were very clear: after the ultimatum, all other avenues will be considered, including the use of force.
And if it were decided to use force, who could be responsible for intervening among the member countries of ECOWAS?
I think the objective is to do everything so that we don’t arrive at this solution, but if that were to happen, I think that there are mechanisms in place.
Could Benin send a contingent of soldiers as part of this armed intervention?
Of course Benin, as a member of ECOWAS, like the other ECOWAS countries, is ready to participate in the resolution of this crisis. If we were to arrive at this solution, which would be deplorable – because in fact, in reality, today, the track of negotiation remains on the table, remains significant, remains the most considered -, but in the event that we would not arrive at the end of the ultimatum, at a negotiated solution which would be the best for all, it would of course be necessary to consider all the other solutions, as mentioned by the Heads of State.
As you said, the chiefs of staff of the ECOWAS countries are meeting until August 4 in Abuja. Their mission, concretely, is to succeed in setting up a military force and an intervention plan by Sunday?
I think their meeting is part of regular meetings. For some time, there has been this melting pot of chiefs of staff that has been in place. They are used to working together. You are aware that there is this ECOWAS standby force, the operationalization of which has already begun for a certain number of years. So I think that operationally there is already a convergence. Afterwards, on the details of how things might go, I think there are much more authoritative voices than mine.
The military in power in Bamako and Ouagadougou have warned that a military intervention in Niger would be considered a declaration of war on their two countries. Aren’t you afraid that an armed intervention will trigger an implosion of ECOWAS, or even a regional conflict?
If there were to be an intervention in Niger, it is not a question of intervening against a country. It is about going to free a democratically elected authority, taken hostage by people who were in charge of its security. So, in reality, we are not in the case of war fantasies, etc., it is a question of going to free and reinstall a regularly elected president.
Interview conducted by Rfi
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